Nichols Martin
The team in charge of NASA‘s Parker Solar Probe has observed that the spacecraft is performing as planned, Space News reported Friday.
Andy Driesman, who manages the mission from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, said in a statement that the spacecraft is operating as designed, and the team is moving forward with commissioning activities.
The probe, which was launched on August 12, has been using its high-gain antenna to facilitate earth-space communications and thrusters to regulate momentum, the report noted.
Driesman added that the team is preparing for the spacecraft’s gravitational assist along Venus slated for Oct. 3.
The probe is expected to reach the sun on Nov. 5 and undergo 24 flybys throughout the next seven years.
